Coker: Strikeforce heavyweight and light-heavyweight belts not up for grabs – yet

While speculation runs rampant about Alistair Overeem and Dan Henderson’s possible move to the UFC, their Strikeforce titles are staying put. For now, anyway.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker today said there currently are no plans to award the belts to anyone else.

He said that means the winner of Strikeforce’s year-long heavyweight grand prix, which continues next week in Cincinnati with the semifinal round, won’t determine a new champion.

Current titleholder Overeem, of course, was released from the promotion in late July following a conflict with UFC and Strikeforce officials regarding his ability to compete at next week’s show. Daniel Cormier ultimately replaced Overeem in his bout with fellow semifinalist Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, and the event now is named “Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov” after the other semifinal matchup: Josh Barnett vs. Sergei Kharitonov.

Overeem ultimately pulled out of the fight when officials pushed up the event from October to September. Overeem cited toe, rib and elbow injuries as the reason for the withdrawal, but soon after, officials announced Overeem would fight at an October United Glory show. Strikeforce then released him.

Coker initially told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the grand-prix winner could be crowned the new champ once the eight-man tourney wraps in early 2012. Today on a media call, though, he said that won’t be the case.

“It just hasn’t been determined yet,” he said. “And right now, that’s position of the company: The winner of the tournament won’t be crowned the champion.”

UFC president Dana White caused a bit of a stir this past week when he said he’s been in communication with Overeem about a possible move to Strikeforce’s sister promotion, the UFC. Yet, despite Overeem’s Strikeforce run being over, the grand prix won’t determine his successor.

That’s also the case with Henderson’s light-heavyweight title. With a recent win over Fedor Emalienenko, Henderson fulfilled the terms of his Strikeforce deal. Coker didn’t count out the possibility of Henderson returning to Strikeforce, though sources have told MMAjunkie.com he’s now extremely close to rejoining the UFC roster for a fight before year’s end.

However, his belt won’t be up for grabs anytime soon, including next week, when ex-champ Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and fast-rising Roger Gracie square off in Cincinnati. Coker said he wants to watch that fight, as well as Gegard Mousasi’s next bout, before he makes a decision about the title.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.